TRAFFIC ALERT – OCTOBER 30TH, 2017

ON OCTOBER 30TH, THE PSE&G ENERGY STRONG PROJECT WILL BE WORKING WITHIN THE INTERSECTION OF 4TH AVENUE AND FOREST AVENUE. THIS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS. MOTORIST ARE ADVISED TO PLAN AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC ON APPROACH TO THE INTERSECTION WILL BE DETOURED TO MILL STREET. SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC ON FOREST AVENUE WILL BE DOWN TO ONE LANE OF TRAVEL. LAFAYETTE BETWEEN CARDINAL LANE AND THE INTERSECTION WILL BE CLOSED (OPEN TO LOCAL RESIDENTS ONLY).

Regarding “On military surplus and local policing” (Editorial, Sept. 1):

Raising the specter of cops with “grenade launchers “and “advanced weaponry” pointed at the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve is misleading. New Jersey’s municipal police departments do not have unchecked, unilateral access to surplus federal armaments and weapons of war.

Even the assertion that “once police have such weapons in hand, it’s natural to want to find reasons to use them” is belied by the fact most police officers go an entire career having fired their service weapons only at the training range.

Indeed, New Jersey Senate Bill No. 23642(a) (Signed into law in 2015) required civilian governing bodies to formally authorize, by resolution, local law enforcement’s entry into the demilitarized, surplus acquisition process: the 1033 Program.

A similar resolution in the Borough of Westwood limits the types of property our police department may acquire, specifically excluding “armored tactical vehicles, marine vessels over 28 feet, aircraft, (and) weapons.” It sets up monthly 1033 activity reports. And it reserves the governing body’s right to cancel, or return, any item delivered that violates the resolution’s intent.

Examples of goods received include 15 metal shovels, 6 brand new paper shredders, an F 150 pickup truck, an Econoline van, a flatbed pickup and medical packs. The market value of items Westwood has acquired to date is approximately $100,000.

4TH AVENUE WILL BE SHUT BETWEEN TACO AVENUE AND MEADOW ROAD. LINCOLN AVENUE WILL ALSO BE SHUT AT HILLCREST. AN EXTENSIVE DETOUR WILL BE IN PLACE. PLEASE FOLLOW POSTED DETOURS AND OBEY POLICE OFFICERS STATIONED THROUGHOUT. TRUCK TRAFFIC WILL BE DETOURED AT 4TH AVENUE AND FOREST AVENUE. NO TRUCK TRAFFIC WILL BE PERMITTED ON THE MAIN DETOUR ROUTE.